Ethical engineering practices
Engineering jobs are not always just about engineering. Engineering roles traditionally focused on building something using different variations of math and science. These jobs have recently been transformed to combine more business functions. In John Hooker’s white paper, he states that “engineers are increasingly involved in start-ups where they make business and engineering decisions.” Cross-functional teams include members in engineering, sales, manufacturing, marketing, and warranty. Many engineers today have multiple hats to wear and are even labeled “project” engineers. Wikipedia defines project engineering as “bridging the boundaries between engineering and project management”. As the role of the engineering field has changed over the years, engineers are faced with increasingly ethical choices and decisions. Engineers must create designs and services for customers in an ethical manner.
There are many different professional companies for engineers to join. Some of these societies include, but are not limited to, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), the Project Management Institute (PMI), the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), and the National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE). Each of these organizations has a similar code of ethics for its members.
A sample of a company code of ethics from the National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE):
“Engineers, in the performance of their professional duties, shall:
1- Consider paramount the safety, health and welfare of the public.
2-Provide services only in the areas of its competence.
3- Issue public statements only objectively and truthfully.
4-Act for each employer or client as faithful agents or trustees.
5-Avoid deceitful acts.
6-Behave in an honorable, responsible, ethical and lawful manner to enhance the honor, reputation and usefulness of the profession”.
Once a person joins one of these societies, they take an oath to uphold the code. Members must take the code seriously in order for the professional to engage with their employer, clients, suppliers or the general public.
Another ethical engineering practice is to test to standards applicable to the designed product or service. Underwriters Laboratories (UL), the Canadian Standards Association (CSA), and the European Commission (EC) are standards agencies that provide standards for product safety for consumers. Products must be successfully tested to current standards in order to apply the agency’s mark on the product. Engineers must conduct testing honestly and ethically. Documentation of test data should be recorded so that it can be reviewed years later if necessary. Test data must be honest, accurate and not falsified or altered. Recording of failed test data is just as important as successful test data. The test data can be used in a court of law if someone is injured or killed by a product that has an agency label. Accurate and complete data is essential to a strong case.
Other ethical principles that an engineer may face are those related to conduct. An engineer must maintain a professional work ethic and abide by the code of ethics. One should not be bribed or tricked by a vendor or customer in order to receive something of monetary value. Test data and other information, such as patent ideas or any other intellectual property, must be kept confidential. Customers must be able to trust the engineer or engineering service.